scaramouche-第19节

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I　swear　it！〃　　And　he　shook　his　puny　fist　at　the　blue　vault　of　heaven
　…　Ajax　defying　Jupiter。　　〃Ah；　but　here　comes　our　subtle　friend。。。　〃
（Andre…Louis　did　not　catch　the　name；　M。　Leandre　having　at　that　moment
turned　to　face　the　gap　in　the　hedge。）　〃He　will　bring　us　news；　I　know。〃

Andre…Louis　looked　also　in　the　direction　of　the　gap。　　Through　it
emerged　a　lean；　slight　man　in　a　rusty　cloak　and　a　three…cornered　hat
worn　well　down　over　his　nose　so　as　to　shade　his　face。　　And　when
presently　he　doffed　this　hat　and　made　a　sweeping　bow　to　the　young
lovers；　Andre…Louis　confessed　to　himself　that　had　he　been　cursed
with　such　a　hangdog　countenance　he　would　have　worn　his　hat　in
precisely　such　a　manner；　so　as　to　conceal　as　much　of　it　as　possible。
If　M。　Leandre　appeared　to　be　wearing；　in　part　at　least；　the　cast…offs
of　nobleman；　the　newcomer　appeared　to　be　wearing　the　cast…offs　of　M。
Leandre。　　Yet　despite　his　vile　clothes　and　viler　face；　with　its　three
days'　growth　of　beard；　the　fellow　carried　himself　with　a　certain　air；
he　positively　strutted　as　he　advanced；　and　he　made　a　leg　in　a　manner
that　was　courtly　and　practised。

〃Monsieur；〃　said　he；　with　the　air　of　a　conspirator；　〃the　time　for
action　has　arrived；　and　so　has　the　Marquis。。。　That　is　why。〃

The　young　lovers　sprang　apart　in　consternation；　Climene　with　clasped
hands；　parted　lips；　and　a　bosom　that　raced　distractingly　under　its
white　fichu…menteur；　M。　Leandre　agape；　the　very　picture　of　foolishness
and　dismay。

Meanwhile　the　newcomer　rattled　on。　　〃I　was　at　the　inn　an　hour　ago
when　he　descended　there；　and　I　studied　him　attentively　whilst　he　was
at　breakfast。　　Having　done　so；　not　a　single　doubt　remains　me　of　our
success。　　As　for　what　he　looks　like；　I　could　entertain　you　at　length
upon　the　fashion　in　which　nature　has　designed　his　gross　fatuity。
But　that　is　no　matter。　　We　are　concerned　with　what　he　is；　with　the
wit　of　him。　　And　I　tell　you　confidently　that　I　find　him　so　dull　and
stupid　that　you　may　be　confident　he　will　tumble　headlong　into　each
and　all　of　the　traps　I　have　so　cunningly　prepared　for　him。〃

〃Tell　me；　tell　me！　　Speak！〃　Climene　implored　him；　holding　out　her
hands　in　a　supplication　no　man　of　sensibility　could　have　resisted。
And　then　on　the　instant　she　caught　her　breath　on　a　faint　scream。
〃My　father！〃　she　exclaimed；　turning　distractedly　from　one　to　the
other　of　those　two。　　〃He　is　coming！　　We　are　lost！〃

〃You　must　fly；　Climene！〃　said　M。　Leandre。

〃Too　late！〃　she　sobbed。　　〃Too　late！　　He　is　here。〃

〃Calm；　mademoiselle；　calm！〃　the　subtle　friend　was　urging　her。　　〃Keep
calm　and　trust　to　me。　　I　promise　you　that　all　shall　be　well。〃

〃Oh！〃　cried　M。　Leandre；　limply。　　〃Say　what　you　will；　my　friend；　this
is　ruin　…　the　end　of　all　our　hopes。　　Your　wits　will　never　extricate
us　from　this。　　Never！〃

Through　the　gap　strode　now　an　enormous　man　with　an　inflamed　moon
face　and　a　great　nose；　decently　dressed　after　the　fashion　of　a　solid
bourgeois。　　There　was　no　mistaking　his　anger；　but　the　expression
that　it　found　was　an　amazement　to　Andre…Louis。

〃Leandre；　you're　an　imbecile！　　Too　much　phlegm；　too　much　phlegm！
Your　words　wouldn't　　convince　a　ploughboy！　　Have　you　considered　what
they　mean　at　all？　　Thus；〃　he　cried；　and　casting　his　round　hat　from
him　in　a　broad　gesture；　he　took　his　stand　at　M。　Leandre's　side；　and
repeated　the　very　words　that　Leandre　had　lately　uttered；　what　time
the　three　observed　him　coolly　and　attentively。

〃Oh；　say　what　you　will；　my　friend；　this　is　ruin　…　the　end　of　all
our　hopes。　　Your　wits　will　never　extricate　us　from　this。　　Never！〃

A　frenzy　of　despair　vibrated　in　his　accents。　　He　swung　again　to　face
M。　Leandre。　　〃Thus；〃　he　bade　him　contemptuously。　　〃Let　the　passion
of　your　hopelessness　express　itself　in　your　voice。　　Consider　that　you
are　not　asking　Scaramouche　here　whether　he　has　put　a　patch　in　your
breeches。　　You　are　a　despairing　lover　expressing。。。　〃

He　checked　abruptly；　startled。　　Andre…Louis；　suddenly　realizing　what
was　afoot；　and　how　duped　he　had　been；　had　loosed　his　laughter。　　The
sound　of　it　pealing　and　booming　uncannily　under　the　great　roof　that
so　immediately　confined　him　was　startling　to　those　below。

The　fat　man　was　the　first　to　recover；　and　he　announced　it　after　his
own　fashion　in　one　of　the　ready　sarcasms　in　which　he　habitually　dealt。

〃Hark！〃　he　cried；　〃the　very　gods　laugh　at　you；　Leandre。〃　　Then　he
addressed　the　roof　of　the　barn　and　its　invisible　tenant。　　〃Hi！　　You
there！〃

Andre…Louis　revealed　himself　by　a　further　protrusion　of　his　tousled
head。

〃Good…morning；〃　said　he；　pleasantly。　　Rising　now　on　his　knees；　his
horizon　was　suddenly　extended　to　include　the　broad　common　beyond
the　hedge。　　He　beheld　there　an　enormous　and　very　battered　travelling
chaise；　a　cart　piled　up　with　timbers　partly　visible　under　the　sheet
of　oiled　canvas　that　covered　them；　and　a　sort　of　house　on　wheels
equipped　with　a　tin　chimney；　from　which　the　smoke　was　slowly　curling。
Three　heavy　Flemish　horses　and　a　couple　of　donkeys　…　all　of　them
hobbled　…　were　contentedly　cropping　the　grass　in　the　neighbourhood
of　these　vehicles。　　These；　had　he　perceived　them　sooner；　must　have
given　him　the　clue　to　the　queer　scene　that　had　been　played　under
his　eyes。　　Beyond　the　hedge　other　figures　were　moving。　　Three　at
that　moment　came　crowding　into　the　gap　…　a　saucy…faced　girl　with　a
tip…tilted　nose；　whom　he　supposed　to　be　Columbine；　the　soubrette；
a　lean；　active　youngster；　who　must　be　the　lackey　Harlequin；；　and
another　rather　loutish　youth　who　might　be　a　zany　or　an　apothecary。

All　this　he　took　in　at　a　comprehensive　glance　that　consumed　no　more
time　than　it　had　taken　him　to　say　good…morning。　　To　that
good…morning　Pantaloon　replied　in　a　bellow：

〃What　the　devil　are　you　doing　up　there？〃

〃Precisely　the　same　thing　that　you　are　doing　down　there；〃　was　the
answer。　　〃I　am　trespassing。〃

〃Eh？〃　said　Pantaloon；　and　looked　at　his　companions；　some　of　the
assurance　beaten　out　of　his　big　red　face。　　Although　the　thing　was
one　that　they　did　habitually；　to　hear　it　called　by　its　proper　name
was　disconcerting。

〃Whose　land　is　this？〃　he　asked；　with　diminishing　assurance。

Andre…Louis　answered；　whilst　drawing　on　his　stockings。　　〃I　believe
it　to　be　the　property　of　the　Marquis　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr。〃

〃That's　a　high…sounding　name。　Is　the　gentleman　severe？〃

〃The　gentleman；〃　said　Andre…Louis；　〃is　the　devil；　or　rather；　I
should　prefer　to　say　upon　reflection；　that　the　devil　is　a　gentleman
by　comparison。

〃And　yet；〃　interposed　the　villainous…looking　fellow　who　played
Scaramouche；　〃by　your　own　confessing　you　don't　hesitate；　yourself；
to　trespass　upon　his　property。〃

〃Ah；　but　then；　you　see；　I　am　a　lawyer。　　And　lawyers　are　notoriously
unable　to　observe　the　law；　just　as　actors　are　notoriously　unable　to
act。　　Moreover；　sir；　Nature　imposes　her　limits　upon　us；　and　Nature
conquers　respect　for　law　as　she　conquers　all　else。　　Nature　conquered
me　last　night　when　I　had　got　as　far　as　this。　　And　so　I　slept　here
without　regard　for　the　very　high　and　puissant　Marquis　de　La　Tour
d'Azyr。　　At　the　same　time；　M。　Scaramouche；　you'll　observe　that　I
did　not　flaunt　my　trespass　quite　as　openly　as　you　and　your　companions。

Having　donned　his　boots；　Andre…Louis　came　nimbly　to　the　ground　in
his　shirt…sleeves；　his　riding…coat　over　his　arm。　　As　he　stood　there
to　don　it；　the　little　cunning　eyes　of　the　heavy　father　conned　him　in
detail。　　Observing　that　his　clothes；　if　plain；　were　of　a　good　fashion；
that　his　shirt　was　of　fine　cambric；　and　that　he　expressed　himself
like　a　man　of　culture；　such　as　he　claimed　to　be；　M。　Pantaloon　was
disposed　to　be　civil。

〃I　am　very　grateful　to　you　for　the　warning；　sir。。。　〃　he　was　beginning。

〃Act　upon　it；　my　friend。　　The　gardes…champetres　of　M。　d'Azyr　have
orders　to　fire　on　trespassers。　　Imitate　me；　and　decamp。〃

They　followed　him　upon　the　instant　through　that　gap　in　the　hedge　to
the　encampment　on　the　common。　　There　Andre…Louis　took　his　leave　of
them。　　But　as　he　was　turning　away　he　perceived　a　young　man　of　the
company　performing　his　morning　toilet　at　a　bucket　placed　upon　one
of　the　wooden　steps　at　the　tail　of　the　house　on　wheels。　　A　moment
he　hesitated；　then　he　turned　frankly　to　M。　Pantaloon；　who　was　still
at　his　elbow。

〃If　it　were　not　unconscionable　to　encroach　so　far　upon　your
hospitality；　monsieur；〃　said　he；　〃I　would　beg　leave　to　imitate　that
very　excellent　young　gentleman　before　I　leave　you。〃

〃But；　my　dear　sir！〃　Good…nature　oozed　out　of　every　pore　of　the　fat
body　of　the　master　player。　　〃It　is　nothing　at　all。　　But；　by　all
means。　　Rhodomont　will　provide　what　you　require。　　He　is　the　dandy
of　the　company　in　real　life；　though　a　fire…eater　on　the　stage。　　Hi；
Rhodomont！〃

The　young　ablutionist　straightened　his　long　body　from　the　right
angle　in　which　it　had　been　bent　over　the　bucket；　and　looked　out
through　a　foam　of　soapsuds。　　Pantaloon　issued　an　order；　and
Rhodomont；　who　was　indeed　as　gentle　and　amiable　off　the　stage　as　he
was　formidable　and　terrible　upon　it；　made　the　stranger　free　of　the
bucket　in　the　friendliest　manner。

So　Andre…Louis　once　more　removed　his　neckcloth　and　his　coat；　and
rolled　up　the　sleeves　of　his　fine　shirt；　whilst　Rhodomont　procured
him　soap；　a　towel；　and　presently　a　broken